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I have just moved to Leominster from Surrey and have no idea where to ride. Ive looked at segments on Strava and found plenty of road segments but nothing off road until Ludlow. Any pointers on where I should be looking would be muchly appreciated.
TBH I would point the car west and ride from Builth or Rhayader since you're so close already.
Ive never lived close enough to Leominster to know about anything local though. Bigblackshed of these'ere parts may know more if he finds this thread, but I think he's more Hereford.
FoD if good if you have a car.
Tollah is a good chap for guiding duties. Just remember to buy him cake and he might take the blindfold off you!
it's about an hour to Cannop (FOD) from Leominster. Its an hour to Builth too.
Its also an hour to Crickhowell (heart of the black mountains) or half an hour to Hay on Wye if you start your ride from the northern end of the Black Mountains.
Hopton Woods is pretty near, so is Long Mynd and for some natural riding in the spring or summer try Wyre Forest. But you are on the doorstep to Wales really so plently over that way.
Hereford I be, Stoner.
I don't know much around Leominster. There are bits over on the Bromyard Downs, bimbly stuff mainly, cheeky trails at Dinmore / Queens Wood, but very frowned upon, around Hereford is Haugh Wood, West Wood and Dinedor, again all cheeky.
I head to the FOD mainly, that's where my regular riding buddies are. The FOD is 45 minutes for me, I also work there so the occassional after work ride if work has been easy. You would be 1:15 from the FOD. An hour from Symmonds Yat / Yat Rock. Your best bet is Mid Wales as suggested above. Lots of trails all over and also lots of proper DH if that's your bag.
Firstly commiserations.
You're looking at a bit of a drive but localism you've got cheeky ness in dinmore/queens wood & croft castle linking to mere and shobdon woods.
There's Radnor forest, Mortimers forest, Wyre forest, Hopton & the Malverns all close by too.
Can't really understand why you need to drive for an hour when you've got Ludlow - Bringewood/Mortimers/CleeHill/BrownClee - 15mins drive or 1hour ride away. Such a great mix of built and natural.
Ludlow-based, happy to show you round.
There are loads of xc type trails around croft castle. But as mentioned above, its not to hard to cycle straight to mortimer forest along the back lanes and then onto bringewood. The trails are excellent. Some can be hard to find.
Another ludlow local here, so happy to show you also.
I'm about 15 mins from Leominster, plenty of good local riding around here.
Hopton woods has DH tracks & the Pearce XC red route (about 1/2 hour from Leominster).
Forest of Dean is only an hour.
There are several natural trails and hill with well known MTB routes around Kington.
Haye Park (Mortimer Forest) near Ludlow has a fair bit of xc/singletrack to go at, with DH trails over the road in Bringewood.
Black mountains (Hay one Wye) about 30-45 mins from Leominster.
Bwlch Nant-Y-Arian 1 1/2 hours.
Also Eastridge woods about 45 mins or so from Leominster, gravity enduro round there last year.
Radnor, Shobdon, and many other forests with unofficial trails within 3/4 hour too.
Plenty to go at really!
all been said Before, but Mortimers forest is a great starting Point....then head to the Black Mountains ....+ don't forget Hergest check out the website linked to the Roughride Website (the route designer 'Jerry the Clog' has mapped out loads of routes in the area.... Its doubtful that anyone knows the rights of way better than Jerry...)
I'm mortally ashamed that I don't ride Hergest, it's 10 mins from my door and I went to school in Kington.....